The Importance of a Virtual Showroom
In today’s digital world, having a robust online presence is essential for any business to succeed, including the automotive industry. Virtual showrooms provide convenient shopping options for today’s shoppers and cater to their needs as they navigate the process of purchasing a vehicle. Auto dealerships that don’t invest in a virtual (online) showroom risk falling behind in the competitive digital retail landscape.
Below, we’ll explore the importance of virtual showrooms, how they benefit dealerships, and the tools and solutions CarNow can offer to help improve the dealership experience.
How Is a Virtual Car Showroom Different From a Physical Showroom?
A virtual showroom is a digital representation of a physical car dealership showroom. It lets car shoppers browse vehicle details and look up car information online. Unlike a physical showroom, digital showrooms are accessible 24/7, eliminating any time and location constraints for potential customers. With an online showroom, customers can view inventory, check prices, compare features, and read reviews — all from the comfort of their own homes.
The Importance of a Virtual Showroom
Virtual showrooms drastically improve the customer experience because they let dealerships meet today’s shoppers where they are in the buying journey. Dealerships can provide shoppers with a convenient and modern online shopping experience that is essential in today’s digital world. Virtual showrooms also offer a top-level customer experience that caters to the evolving needs and preferences of modern shoppers. An online showroom lets dealers automate processes, differentiate themselves from competitors, and boost virtual car sales.
Meeting Modern Shoppers Where They Are
Modern shoppers expect a certain level of convenience when making purchases, including searching for a new car. Virtual showrooms help provide this convenience by seamlessly bridging the gap between online and in-store aspects of the car buying process. Car shoppers can easily browse, research, and even purchase vehicles from the comfort of their homes without having to physically visit a dealership until they are ready. This is crucial in providing an experience that caters to the needs of modern car shoppers and meets them where they are.
Expanded Reach
Dealers who want to expand their reach and attract more customers should consider online showrooms. Virtual showrooms let dealerships show their inventory to a broader audience of potential customers. This may even include people who wouldn’t have found the dealership without the online car shopping option. Dealers can expand their reach and connect with customers from a larger geographic area, creating a more accessible shopping experience that ultimately leads to more sales.
Provide More Information
A robust virtual showroom provides all the information a shopper needs to feel confident in completing an online purchase, such as detailed descriptions of vehicles, high-quality images, and even vehicle and dealership showroom virtual tours. By providing all this information online, dealerships can help potential customers make informed decisions and reduce the need for time-consuming in-person visits.
Advantages of a Physical Showroom
While virtual showrooms are becoming more important for auto dealerships to improve the customer experience, they’re intended to enhance the benefits of physical showrooms, not replace them. Physical showrooms still have plenty of advantages that are worth noting.
Face-To-Face Interaction
While a virtual showroom provides a modern and convenient shopping experience, it can’t replace the value of face-to-face interaction. A physical showroom lets customers see, touch, and even test-drive vehicles before making a purchase. In-person interaction also helps provide a level of personalization and human connection that can’t be found online.
Build In-Person Rapport
In-person interactions allow dealerships to form a personal connection with their customers and build long-lasting relationships. Offering enhanced experiences and prioritizing personal connections can help dealerships distinguish themselves from competitors and create loyal customers. By providing exceptional customer service and personalized experiences, dealerships can turn one-time customers into lifelong customers who will return for future purchases and may even refer friends and family.
How Can CarNow Help Improve Your Dealership?
CarNow is a dealer retailing system that lets dealerships connect the online to the physical showroom to streamline operations and enhance the customer experience. With CarNow, customers can start the purchase process online and seamlessly resume the process when they’re ready to visit the physical showroom. This creates a cohesive and personalized experience that meets a modern shopper’s needs while providing the value of face-to-face interaction.
Next Steps
With CarNow, your dealership can enjoy a frictionless virtual showroom process fully integrated with your existing systems — all from one platform. Make the online showroom process a smoother experience for you and your customers with CarNow’s robust platform offerings.
Learn more about our virtual showroom solutions and schedule a demo with CarNow today.